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Former Eagles Member Alleges Band Rewrote History

By Robert Pace 3:45 AM PDT, April 5, 2013

"Hotel California" is arguably the most popular song in the Eagles' history. However, the band's former guitarist, Don Felder, now alleges that the band is taking the bulk of the credit for the song, which he says he principally created. ETonline has your exclusive sneak peek at his interview on The Jeff Probst Show.

The song, which featured was featured on the Eagles' 1976 record of the same name, peaked at No. 1 on U.S. charts and has been the band's only single to be awarded platinum certification.

Although it's an iconic song not only for the Eagles' but for rock music in general as well, Felder, who was released from the band in 2001, claims that its credit has been misappropriated by the band.

According to his account, the band has taken more ownership of the song than was actually the case, as Felder claims that he primarily conceived the song.

"Originally, if you look on the old vinyl record, we had a policy in the band that whoever wrote the most of the song would get first position in the writers credits," Felder details to Jeff Probst. "It originally read 'Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glen Frey,' and then years later, somehow miraculously the credit order changed."

The former Eagles guitarist, who published a book on his experiences with the band entitled Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974–2001) five years after his dismissal from the band, says that some time over the years he became listed last on the writers credits.

"People decide they can rewrite history and credit themselves as 'Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Don Felder third,'" Felder said.

Despite the revelation, Felder claims that he isn't upset by the band's purported musical chairs of the writers credits to one of the most iconic songs in rock history.

"It doesn't bother me," the 65-year-old Florida native said. "The song was a song idea out of fifteen or sixteen other songs that I wrote for the 'Hotel California' record. We recorded it [and] made a great record out of it."

Check out the exclusive sneak peek above and watch the former Eagles guitarist's interview on The Jeff Probst Show on Monday. Check your local listings.